TOPICS OF THE BAY,

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 9, 11 July 1910, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE BAY,

Again manufacturers are complaining twi. . -^ m , vaguely that it is imWhat Do They possible for them to Want? mako a decent living in New Zealand. Mr, J. P. Luke has lamented that his firm is constrained, by circumstances, to employ men to do boys' work, and he has pointed to the shorter hours and the longer pay and the dearness of raw material by comparison with the figures of competing countries. That kind of talk was interesting once, and perhaps twice, but it is irritating and boresome now at the twentieth or thirtieth repetition. While his brother was haranguing the House of Representatives, the Hon. C. M. Luke was similarly making moan in the Legislative Council. Did he not speak in the same stirain there last year, and the year before? Other manufacturers in other centres have also grumbled, but the sad noise has been more pitiful than helpful to their causePreaumably, the complainants, as heads of industries, are business men, but they do not talk business to the public. What do they want? This question has been asked month after month, and the answer is a mumbling as incoherent as a lion's roar. The manufacturer's plaint is that the cost of production has been forced up to such a point by industrial legislation that it is difficult for him to compete at a reasonable profit with foreign firms. It is not likely that the Labour factor will be reduced. Does the manufacturer then hope for a further raising oi the tariff wall? Baldly and bluntly, the case may be compressed into one question : "Are the consumers willing to pay more for then* goods by way of an extra Customs import?" The people will require some convincing evidence before they will agree to the increase, and the manufacturers steadily omit to supply the moving testimony. Taken in conjunction with such a statement as the one What Will They made by Mr. J. P. Do with It? Lxiko on Friday: "There is not a manufacturing firm in this country able to make both ends meet" — the sion by the Wellington City Council about a new, costly technical school reads quaintly. The local authorities are calmly assuming that if a piece of the Town Belt can be allocated as a sit© the Government will cheerfully grant anything between £20,000 and £25,000 for a building. There has been some pointless talk of "providing for the needs of technical education for twenty years to come." Or was it fifty I years? The position of some of the I manufacturing and other secondary industries is indefinite, and the future is uncertain. Surely a definite industrial policy should precede the expenditure of large sums on huge buildings for technical education. The word "technical" has become a fetish, and it is to somehow solve the unemployment problem and remedy other troubles. Without proper thought about New Zealand economics, without taking a comprehensive view of present conditions and "sensing" the future, men itch to use. the public funds on formidable "technical" enterprises. We have supported this system of education when we have seen it going in a definite, useful direction, but we must say that no forcible case lias yet been stated for an expensive building on the Town Belt. The application is sure to get some sharp criticism in Parliament. It will, indeed, be the members' duty to ask for full reasons why thousands of pounds should be invested in any haphazard enterprise. A few weeks ago the Prime Minister spoke gracefully at the The Premier Art Gallery, and he and Art. spoke practically on Saturday at a gathering of the Arts Club. By subsidies the Government has modestly helped to foster art in the four centres, and it hopes to do more. Sir Joseph. Ward has promised a suitable, site for an art gallery here, and has indicated that other places in New Zealand may be similaiSy treated. Probably Sir Joseph has in mind a portion of the Mount Cook ground, where the Dominion Museum is to stand some day. Briefly, his statement amounts to an offer of co-operation of the State with the citizens. If the citizens will help themselves, the State will help the citizens. Some earnest art enthusiasts have been hoping to establish a public gallery under the aegis of the City Council, but it appears that a better result will come from an acceptance of the Government's ofter. Cax© can he taken to have the city well represented on any board of trustees controlling such an institution, and with the energy of all concentrated on one building Wellington should soon have an array of art objects to make ample amends for the indifference of the past. The hopes of the New Zealand Academy have not been realised. The people — except a few — have been deaf to appeals, and the appellants have not generally been very ingenious or impressive iv putting their pleas, though the president {Mr. Ward ell J has been a tireless worker. There is a chance now for a change, and Wellington should not allow the opportunity to go by.

A minor edition of 'the Auckland-Wel-lington rivalry is seen in the competition between Olaki and 1 Levin. Otaki, it I sesmt, figures as Auckland, clamant and 1 cynical. Levin, "sits tight," siient, and j does the business. The battle between the two townships . extends to the foot- \ ball field. Recently a team went from Levin, to play at Otaki against Tainui. The Levin brigade did not arrive till about 3.45, and as darkness cam© before full time was played the referee declared "no-side." At this time the Tainui men wero leading, and tho Teferee ruled victory in 'their favour. The Horowhenua Rugby Union, however, with headquarters at. Levin, ruled in favour of a protest pub in. by the Levin team. Hence "great indignation" is reported from Otaki which has dacided' to appeal to Ca*s*u\, tho Kew Zoalftiwt Rugby- uaioa.